The protagonist, the challenges he or she faces, followed by a victorious win and a happily ever after. Familiar? Of course. That's the outline for every story you've ever read. It's the same for most of the characters you'll be playing. They too lived the 'normal' life until weird things started to happen. They start disappearing, and reappearing in different moments, in different places. Things around them seem to happen in a way that mocks everything we know of time- Hours move as quickly as seconds and days and seasons come and go as they please. That is when it is revealed- They are nothing more than characters in an author's unfinished story. No one around them seems to notice anything different, and a lot of times it's as if they can't control their actions. (Darn it, author!) Initially they wonder and seem to believe that they are the main characters of the play, only to be cruelly told that they are but sidekicks in a romance story of two characters who don't seem to realize what they are - 'characters in a romance novel' Frustrated with how cliché the story is, these characters, upon discovering each other, decide to go on a quest to stop the author from controlling their lives, and maybe in some cases writing them off... But, how exactly do they do this, when the author seems to be able to control them most of the time? - - - THINGS TO KNOW STAGE: These are the certain scenes where the 'author' has complete control of your characters, and makes them do things to push the romance story forward. Something your characters will obviously dislike. Remember that when you're writing your characters on the 'stage' that they will be forced to do actions to help the 'Main Characters' further their story. SHADOW: These are the times when your characters are not part of the story and are free to do whatever. Characters that are not 'awoken' (NPCs and 'Main Leads') will not remember events that take place in Shadow. A/N: The Author is a nameless character, but is an NPC(Non-player Character). He will be controlled by all of us (Which is kind of ironic, but whatever.) His parts will be written in italics. And he/she will be the person who writes the story. - - - CHARACTER SHEET Character Quote: Name: Age: Gender(+Preferred pronoun): Appearance (Optional): Description (Any other info): Personality (Optional): - - -
This is an interesting idea. You're approved, but please make sure to create a separate discussion thread for the RPG in RPG discussion so the players have a place to communicate outside the story and place their character sheets. Also, that appearance item should be mandatory, otherwise the other players can't see what each other looks like.
Character List [Caterpillar] 'God knows I'm the only character here that's even mildly interesting.' Name: Estelle Ronice Age: 16 Gender: Female, (She) Appearance: Average stature, brunette hair tied in a ponytail, a pair of glasses with no lenses sitting in front of light coloured eyes. Description: On 'Stage' she is supposed to be the quite girl who the female lead helps socialize, but off Stage she is a completely different being. 'Give me half the money the author earns by making me a doormat, and I'll lie down willingly.' Name: Ryan Hicks Age: 16 Gender: Male (He) Appearance: Raven black hair, that falls over grey eyes. Athletic build. Description: On Shage he's supposed to be the male leads best friend (A usually jovial character); Off Stage he's the opposite. [Cheshire Cat] 'Welp, I'm the scapegoat for this story' Name: Skylar Wakely Gender: Male (He) Appearance: Brown hair, hazel eyes, tall and lanky. Description : On Stage he's supposed to be the antagonist's minion. Off stage he's the opposite and despises the antagonist because of all the bullying he has to deal with because of the antagonist. [The Hatter] 'I've had enough of this shit.' Name: Grace Herondale Gender: female (she) Appearance: blonde hair, tawny eyes, size zero figure Description: on Stage, she's your typical popular girl who is the cheerleading captain, wears 14 layers of lip gloss and is sure to get into the Ivy League with nothing lacking. Off Stage, she's got more spunk than anyone else 'My life feels like a test I didn't study for.' Name: Poonguzhali Iyer Gender: female (she) Appearance: Black hair, brown eyes, typical South Indian appearance Description: on Stage she's supposed to be the nerd, focused on nothing but her grades and the male lead, and tries to do all sorts of things to get him away from the female lead, but off Stage, she's the only character who doesn't blame the main characters for everything that's wrong with their life [Queen of Hearts] 'I really don't get the I am not like other girls phenomenon like why on earth should you brag about your quirkiness?' Name: helena way Gender: female (she) but hella gay Appearance: dark curly hair, chocolate brown eyes and olive skin with glasses. Description: on stage she is supposed to be the quirky, bubbly and nice best friend who helps the female lead with relationships but off stage she couldn't care less about literally anything and is super cold and apathetic towards everything [Alice] TBD A/N: More characters will be added in the discussion thread, as and when they're created.
[BEGIN] It was early in the morning. The sun's rays were visible only just above the horizon. Estelle yawned, wishing she could retire back to her bed, but her experience warned her against it. She looked down briefly for a moment, blinking away the harsh orange light. When she looked back, the night's colors were all but gone. She squinted her eyes. "What in the world...?" Had she fallen asleep in that brief moment? As she blinked, attempting to remember the past few minutes that she should've experienced, something weirder happened. She was suddenly out on the road, staring towards the window she had only just looked out of. "Huh?" Another blink, and she was in front of her school gate. What sort of sadistic dream brings you to school?
Like any logical person, Estelle pinched her nose. Attempting to wake herself from this horrid dream. But to no avail. So, like an illogical person, instead of drawing the conclusion that she was awake, Estelle continued to make her nose nose suffer, right in front of the school gates. As students herded in.
Poonguzhali woke up screaming and put her hand on her chest, trying to calm herself down. Why did nightmares never get old? "Are you planning on auditioning for the play or something? You were spouting poetry in your sleep!" her twin, Kathiravan teased. "Oh shut up," she said, heading to the bathroom, and stopped short. She's never been like that with Kathir before. Why did I just say that?
"The raven himself is hoarse That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan Under my battlements. Make thick my blood; Stop up the access and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between The effect and it!" Poonguzhali stopped chanting. "Wow, my thespian, you were marvelous! I'll let you know." said Mrs. Marys, the drama teacher. She bowed and started to thank Mrs. Marys when she suddenly found herself in a wave of students at the corridor. Before she could think too much of it, her best friends Cecily pulled at her arm. "Oh my god, Cupcake, did you hear? Rory is auditioning for Macbeth! And you said you got good feedback from Mrs. Marys. So that means you're getting cast as Lady Macbeth! You've heard about the Thespian Prophecy, right? The two leads in the annual play always end up together. You and Rory..." she continued in a witchy voice, but the bell rang and everyone hurried to class.
Five thirty-nine shined in block numbering from the shaded microwave across the kitchen. The only light in the room Ethan turned on was the little light over the stove. It was too early for any normal teenager to get up, especially one who was up until one-thirty in the morning like he was, but to him it was worth it. But still too early to handle anything more than a subtle horizon peaking under the branches above the window, and a stove light for the task at hand. It was all chemistry; cooking that is. He had learned it from his parents. A little heating here, a contradictory reaction there, and maybe even a bit of an acidic spark to give the texture good flavor and that shock value ever good chef wants from their audience. It was all reactions with reagents, and Ethan was starting to pride himself on how good he had come to understand it. His shredded mozzarella and a mixture of thinly sliced red onions, white mushrooms, and shitake mushrooms filled the cutting board in a matter of minutes. The rhythmic slicing had become a relaxing routine as the mornings blended together, passing the time in seconds. Ethan was lazy on the pie crust, electing for a pre-rolled sheet to fill the pan. The stove ignitor fired in repetitious snaps the rang through the chill air, erupting in a small explosion encircling the other pan. He didn't flinch as the warmth sizzled across his bloodshot, waking eyes. Pungent aromas of the onion and a little rosemary flooded the air, then the thyme crept in soon after. Thyme lingered after he finished sautéing the vegetables. Spices, eggs and half-and-half whipped up to a thin cream, lightly dripping from his whisk. He mixed the cream, vegetables, and cheese over the pie crust and placed it in the oven. Thirty-five minutes to burn. The light crept higher as the morning warmth in rays seeped in through the maple leaves from the window. Only thirty minutes until his mother would finally come home. Ethan closed his eyes for a moment of thought. The late-night dungeon run with his three best friends on the computer was getting to him. Ethan opened his eyes to the sound of scratching from the door. The lock snapped and sent him into a panic, nearly falling out of his chair. He scrambled over to the oven and ripped open the hatch, expecting to be blasted with the heat of a blackened quiche, but it was empty. He sniffed around, picking up the strong aroma of eggs and onion, but it became more faint the closer he got to the oven. The door crashed open as his mother clumsily staggered in, purse and pack flinging across the floor as if she was tossing a massive burden. Ethan swung the oven door shut and swung around to greet her, but found his mouth hanging open in surprise of seeing a properly plated quiche, sliced and set for two, gracing the dining table. "Thank the Lord for this son of mine, if only he ever applied himself to the future and not the moment" His mother almost didn't notice him before digging into the breakfast, nurse's smock and Crocs still wrapping her. "I never got a break today." "Good morning to you too, Mom." Still bewildered by his sleep-plating, Ethan sat back down to enjoy his creation, somehow broiled as well for that nice burnish on the surface. "Fine, good morning. Thank you for breakfast. But you have no idea how many sick elderly and kids I just went through. I mean, come on, there are other hospitals in the city." Ethan went to take another bite, but his piece was already gone. A lump grew in his stomach as if he were full and over half the whole pie take from off the pan. "Almost as hungry as I was, huh. Good boy. You need to fill out or you'll be as shrimpy as your father." Her smile faded. She rose quickly from her chair, trembling with the empty plate in hand. "Well, off to bed for me." A lump pulled on Ethan's pocket, one he didn't remember before. He reached in and felt the cool smooth of metal. When he pulled it out, a pocket watch rest in his hand, silver with a lot of etched circles on its surface, much like longitudinal and latitudinal markers. He flipped it open to find multiple keepers implemented in one large counter. The time was correct: six fifty-seven. Time to get a move on. "Grandpa Merl's old pocket watch? Surprised you still carry that old thing around." Ethan had never owned a pocket watch. He was trying to remember if he ever had a grandfather named Merl. "I won't be home when you get off. Got a double-shift for all this Hell going on down there. Don't have too much fun without me. Night-night hunny bunches." Ethan hadn't recovered from the confusion, still gazing at the pocket watch and wondering. "Fine, I deserve it, I'll try to get you something on the back end. Thanks so much for the breakfast Ethan." She was off to bed before he could get a word in edgewise. "Night, Mom," he stated to an empty doorway as footsteps creaked on the floor above. He closed his eyes to try and remember, but the noise of voices drowned out his thoughts. "Will you all just shut up?" Students in front of the high school were staring at him with irritated faces when he opened his eyes. His best friend Jack stood dumbstruck in front of him, stuttering without sound. "I'm sorry man, I didn't mean it. Was just mad we didn't make it last night. I didn't mean it to sound like it was just your fault." The other kids moved on, Ethan standing there in the middle, confused and bewildered. He looked at his nervous friend backing away. "I'll just catch you later, or whatever, or...yeah." Then ran off. Ethan pulled the pocketwatch out of his pants. Nearly eight. The weight of his backpack ached on his shoulders, as if he had walked some distance to get there. "What's happening to my time?"
"Uh- Sick watch...?" Ryan slung his bag, back onto his shoulder before moving around the guy who stood completely frozen in the hallway.
"So, did Rory say anything?" Cecily asked, looking like a hungry wolf. To be honest, most of Poonguzhali's morning went in a blaze and she was still trying to figure out why lunch came right after math when math was her first period. "I did," she said without realising she'd spoken. "Rory said the theatre kids told him that I was going to be cast as Lady Macbeth and he was excited to work with me." Huh? Poonguzhali did not really remember that happening. She just said it, to feed Cecily's ever growing appetite for gossip, or to spill what actually happened, she didn't know. Is something wrong with me?
The casting sheet came right after lunch, which was weird because Poonguzhali knew it was supposed to come the next day. "Hey, Cupcake, what are you doing here? Go check the casting sheet! Also, did Rory say anything after yesterday?" "Huh," she thought. "Yesterday?" Instead of saying anything to Cecily, she went to check the casting sheet.
Ryan was a year behind Ethan, but Ethan was still surprised to even hear him speak. And to him of all people, even if it were for an awkward moment. Athletic guys didn't talk to him, like ever. Ethan looked at the time, seconds spinning with increasing speed, then minutes. He rubbed his eyes and felt the weight lift off his shoulders and legs. He found himself in a chair in Ms. Marys' class as the fog of his eyes cleared, hearing only: He knew the lines well as he had read them a few times from his father's study, brushing the dust off the collection his mother wouldn't touch. They were edited by the director for time, no doubt, but he could still feel the lingering words of Lady Macbeth lingering in the back of his mind. "Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts." Thoughts and time had much been on his mind lately, and why it had sped so hastily. Poonguzhali was a natural though. She almost delivered the lines too smoothly, as they are to be quite strongly stated in the Scottish voice, but Ethan certainly wasn't one to mind. She would get the part, he knew. If only he had the stomach to audition for Macbeth... He tried for the part of Ross though. Acting was as far extrovert as he would ever get, but he knew the play well. Any other time, he would rather sit in the audience, but something moved him about it, some change in him. And he knew Poonguzhali would be there...not that someone like her would notice a directionless punk like him...
Name Role Rory Hills Macbeth Seo young Kim Lady Macbeth ... Poonguzhali Iyer Witch 1 Etha- What the hell? Witch 1? Okay, maybe Poonguzhali wasn't as good as she thought herself to be. But surely, she wasn't bad enough to be Witch 1. Right? "Cupcake!" Cecily startled her. "So, did you get the pa- what? You said you got good feedback from Ms. Marys, right? That lady almost never gives good feedback. How on earth did you not get the part? And why are you Witch 1?" "I don't know," Poonguzhali started to say, but Cecily cut her off. "Oh my god, Cupcake, don't cry! It's okay. It's just a stupid play." Poonguzhali wiped her tears, embarrassed. "Why did I suddenly cry?" she wondered out loud. "It's fine." Cecily said, but Poonguzhali knew better. The other kids gathered around the casting sheet already began looking at Poonguzhali like hungry wolves. "Oh, look at Miss Sore Loser here!" one of them hollered.
Ethan didn't want to look at casting sheet. Didn't really want to think about it, but there it was, locked between a crowd of voracious students, holding expected failings... But then he heard others rumbling. "Who the Hell is Ethan Quinn? As Ross? Who is that character again?" "It's a throw in slot, he's just nobody, I'm sure." "Isn't that the weirdo in the back of the drama class. I thought he always stuttered?" His eyebrow raised in curiosity. He had to look. The mob began to open slightly, just enough for names to pass by in momentary flashes. "... Kim Lady Mac..." "Poonguzhali Iyer Wit.." Damn, he thought. She was good, but maybe he was right about the smoothness of the delivery. "...Quinn Ross" He cocked his head to the side and gave a small smirk. He did it. Not that it was anything worth any real merit, but as an awkward guy it was an achievement. He knew his dad was watching him closely. But the school did as school does. He could hear the cat-calling and insults hurled at Poonguzhali. Ethan was getting visibly upset. She worked too hard for that kind of crap. All these people cutting her down when she just needed someone to stick up for her. Ethan stood there glaring at the crowd, but feeling helpless. He wanted to burst in and be the hero, but that just wasn't him. He wanted to go and smack the "sore loser" kid right in the nose, but knew that wouldn't happen. The kid didn't even make the roster. "The fuck are you going on about, dick. Your not even on there." Ethan stood frozen in terror for only a few moments as everyone turned towards him, various faces of confusion judging quick insults from the quiet, weird guy. Ethan sucked in his breath, quickly glanced at Poonguzhali who had finished clearing her eyes of tears, and skipped off out of the area desperate to get away from whatever had come over him. Yet, as he fast walked away, he felt a little good...
"Don't worry too much about it, Lee," said Sky. "Yeah, I'm getting that a lot lately." Poonguzhali replied. "Thanks, but I'm not that hung up on it. I wanted a part in the play, and I got it. I mean, I just need some theatre experience to get in, right?" "You mean Oakwood? Of course you'll get in! You don't even need this experience, right? You've directed one of our plays..." "Yeah, but the application requirements specifically mentioned it, so I'm doing this just to be safe." "Hm, that's smart. Thank god I don't have to do it, though. I mean, it's like Hunger Games in here. No offense to you." "None taken." Poonguzhali tried not to be jealous. Skylar was a part of the Oracle Theater Company, so he'd already acted in a dozen plays, one of them being Abhijnana Shakuntalam, which Poonguzhali directed. But Poonguzhali had zero acting experience, without which her application for Oakwood School of Filmmaking would be incomplete. Well, at least her geekiness for Sanskrit payed off in some- "Earth to Lee!" Sky exclaimed, waving in front of her face like a maniac. "Huh, sorry?" "I asked if this had nothing to do with Rory Hills." Sky said slowly like he was talking to a five-year-old. Poonguzhali started to say something, but her mouth had a life of its own. "I wouldn't say that..." "What the hell? Lee, you like Rory Hills?" Sky looked... disgusted. I don't, Poonguzhali thought. Why am I not able to say that?
